The Rise of the Designer Dogs

Our association with dogs is believed to date back up to 100,000
years ago. This relationship undoubtedly began as a random process,
occurring in a number of scattered, small communities within the range
of the dog’s grey wolf ancestor.

Orphaned or abandoned wolf cubs would
be raised in settlements, maybe as companions for younger members of the
tribe, but equally, if food became scare, there was no risk of
sentiment, with these ancestral dogs being eaten. Some survived and bred
however, and over successive generations, these early dogs became more
friendly and tractable, and ultimately even trainable. They helped to
capture quarry, and acted as guardians.

By the start of recorded history, dogs had already become more
specialised in terms of the tasks they carried out. Their strength in
some cases meant they could pull sleds and carts, while others proved
valuable in retrieving shot game, even from water.

As society evolved,
so the work which dogs undertook continued to change as well. There were
turnspit dogs for example, whose role was to turn the spit on which
meat was being roasted by walking on a treadmill in the kitchens of
large homes. They faded into obscurity after the 1700s and ultimately
died out, as a result of cooking techniques altering.

None of the dogs from this early era was a distinctive breed, as we
understand the meaning of the term today. Rather, such similarity as
existed in their appearance was a reflection of their working origins.
Scenthounds such as the bloodhound had broad noses for example, so as to
help them to pursue a trail more effectively.

Breed awareness

A fundamental shift then took place in the second half of the 1800s,
with the foundation of kennel clubs, both in Europe and North America.
Interest was turning away from keeping dogs primarily for working
purposes. Instead, they started to be bred increasingly for exhibition
purposes, to conform as closely as possible to the “breed standard”.
This is a written reflection of what constitutes the ideal features of
the breed, in terms of all aspects of its appearance.

The
rising support for dog-showing meant that many breeds soon achieved
worldwide recognition, being kept far outside their area of origin.
Showing in turn also led directly to the rising popularity of dogs as
pets. This emphasis on appearance could seduce the unwary into choosing a
dog based largely on its looks however, without appreciating that the
temperaments of different breeds could vary widely, depending on their
origins. Even today, Welsh corgis as an example can prove rather snappy
by nature, but this is simply a reflection of their working past. They
were used as herding dogs, nipping at the heels of cattle and cajoling
them to move.

The origins of such breeds, instilled over the course of hundreds if
not thousands of years, have meant that there can be problems
integrating them successfully into domestic surroundings as companions. Herding breeds in general were originally kept to undertake
arduous physical work, which demanded considerable stamina and
intelligence. Unsurprisingly therefore, dogs like collies may easily
become bored and destructive in domestic surroundings, without adequate
exercise and mental stimulation.

The only group of dogs which have been bred specifically as
companions over the course of centuries are the members of the toy
group. The ancestors of these breeds were often larger dogs which were
selectively bred down in size. They became favoured companions for the
ladies around the royal courts of Europe from the 1500s onwards. Hence
the greyhound itself was shrunk to create the miniature Italian
greyhound, shown above.

The rise of designer breeds

Now there is a new movement becoming apparent, driven partly by a
desire to achieve a closer relationship with dogs that are possibly
better-suited as pets than their working ancestors. The trend towards
breeding so-called designer dogs is already well-established in North
America, and the same process is now happening in Europe too.

The aim is to create new companion breeds of all sizes. It is no
coincidence either that poodles are at the centre of this movement, not
just because of their natural intelligence, but also because they occur
in standard, toy and miniature sizes. They also do not shed in the same
way as most dogs. This in turn means that homes can be kept freer of
dog’s hair, making them more suited to people’s lifestyles today.

The question is, however, just what this means for today’s breeds?
Already, a number have been identified by the Kennel Club in the UK as
being under threat of extinction and it is not inconceivable that some
of these could actually become extinct, as designer dogs become more
fashionable.

The fact is that the number of dogs being kept as pets is not
generally growing significantly here, and so certain breeds must
inevitably become scarcer, if designer dogs prove more desirable.
Already in England, the prices being charged for some of these crosses
are higher than those being asked for the breeds from which they have
been created. There is clearly an incentive for breeders to continue
producing them.

The way in which dogs have been selected to meet our needs is nothing
new however, but part of a progression which dates right back to the
earliest days of their domestication. A basic shift is now occurring
once again. The emphasis is being placed increasingly on selecting
good-natured household companions for the first time, rather than dogs
adept at carrying out specific tasks.

The best-known designer dog

The Labradoodle (Labrador retriever
x standard poodle) seen at the start of this page is already on the way to being accepted as a breed
in its own right, and others will inevitably follow. In addition to poodles, pugs have also played a significant part in the designer dog movement. The puggle - a cross between a pug and a beagle is well-established, and other crosses, such as the pug x Jack Russell terrier seen here appear to be growing in popularity too. Such dogs may ultimately
form a new companion category on the show scene, but it currently
remains to be seen whether the appeal of such designer dogs
could trigger an overall increase in dog ownership as well.